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Thu, 10 Sep 2026

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 Air traffic chaos and compensation: 'Shutdown cost us more than £1,000'

Flight disruption has ruined holidays and left passengers sleeping on airport floors - so what are their rights?
In cases where flights are cancelled due to airline fault, extra compensation is paid under UK and EU rules. However, this does not apply when air traffic control issues are beyond airlines' control. Despite being furious at having to pay millions in refunds, airlines themselves were also affected by the disruption. The problem for Catie and Phil was that they had booked their accommodation and excursions separately, which meant there were no refunds available. This is different from package holidays, where cancellations are covered in full. "We feel we're penalised for trying to save money," said Catie, who contacted the BBC about their situation. "Our problems are very small in the bigger scheme of things." The couple also tried to claim on their travel insurance but were told that any claim would be invalid because air traffic issues were outside of the policy. They may try to make claims via credit card providers or through experts' suggestions of keeping receipts as proof. The UK's Aviation Minister, Keir Mather, described the disruption caused by the air traffic control issue as "unacceptable" and said there will be an independent review of the saga by the Civil Aviation Authority.